Review: From Notting Hill to New York... Actually

Scarlett O’Brien, utterly addicted to romantic films, has found her leading man. She’s convinced Sean is Mr Right, but the day-to-day reality of a relationship isn’t quite like the movies. With Sean constantly away on business, Scarlett and her new best friend Oscar decide to head to New York for the holiday of a lifetime. From one famous landmark to the next, Scarlett and Oscar make many new friends during their adventure - including sailors in town for Fleet Week, a famous film star, and Jamie & Max, a TV reporter and cameraman. Scarlett finds herself strangely drawn to Jamie, they appear to have much in common: a love of films and Jamie’s search for a parent he never knew. But Scarlett has to ask herself why she is reacting like this to another man when she’s so in love with Sean …

Title: From Notting Hill to New York... Actually (Actually ~ Book 2)
Author: Ali McNamara | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: November 22 2012
Publisher: Hachette Digital
Length: Paperback 449 pages / Audiobook 9 hours
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Audiobook via Audible)
Narrated by:: Finty Williams
Cover Love: Fits with the series.
Point of View: 1st person, following Scarlett

My Rating: 4 Stars

I fell in love with Scarlett O'Brien in From Notting Hill with Love... Actually.  She so easily made me laugh, and I adored her love of all things movie related.  I was excited to see that there was going to be a sequel, even though we had to wait quite a long time between book one and two.

This story picks up shortly after book one.  We find Scarlett and Sean settled into the routine of normal life.  You get the impression that things are just that, normal.  When a book ends and the characters get their happily ever after, you don't think about how their life is going to now carry on the same way your life does.  Work, cooking dinner, taking out the garbage, etc... I wouldn't say Scarlett and Sean are tired of each other or want to move on, it's nothing like that.  It's just that you get the idea that Scarlett is a bit.. bored.  So Sean suggests that she go to New York to visit her father.

I will be honest to say that at first, I was nervous when Scarlett meets Jamie in New York.  I did NOT want this to turn into a love triangle.  I couldn't stand the thought of Scarlett being confused over her feelings for Sean, he is so sweet and lovely, I just wanted them happy.  However, I was thrilled that it took me no time at all to realize that Scarlett just didn't have those types of feelings for Jamie.  Thankfully.

The plot is pretty easy to figure out, but this in no way diminished my enjoyment of the story.  I pretty much had everything figured out early on, but McNamara's writing is one that keeps you drawn into the story so knowing what was going to happen didn't bother me.

Oscar, Scarlett's best friend, is along for the trip to New York.  He is as outrageous and as funny as ever.  We get to meet a lot of new characters this time around, of course there is Jamie... but also there is Max, Peter and a very swoonworthy Bradley Cooper.  Yes, you read that correctly, THE Bradley Cooper.

As I listened to the audiobook, I would like to add a little about the narrator, Flinty Williams.  I adore her voice, and I've become quite a fan of hers.  She does an excellent job with the narration, and I couldn't have picked a better voice for Scarlett.

Now the ending... it was of course as sweet as could be.  I loved the build up to the big moment, but I have to say I was a little disappointed as it seemed to be a bit abrupt after the build up.  If this is going to be the final chapter for Scarlett and Sean, I would have loved to have an epilogue.  Something that gave us a peek into their future.  However, with that said, I could easily see there being more story to tell here.  I haven't seen any talk of there being a third book, but I for one would love to have more.